Event Description:
This event gathers talented experts, who are members of the Hudson Valley Food Network for an afternoon of learning all about local food topics. Admission is $5.

Creating Water Kefir Sodas
Dina Falconi, Wild Earth Programs
Dina will demonstrate how to use local dried plants for herbal infusions and kefir soda. Bring a jar and she’ll also share with you her grains.

Backyard Organic Chicken Rearing
Barbara Taylor-Laino, Midsummer Farm
Barbara will review the simple steps to easily and safely keep chickens on a small scale in your backyard or small farm and with a focus on keeping them organically.

Mushroom Propagation
Marc Eisenson, Mid Hudson Mycological Association
Learn about wild shiitake, stropharia and oysters mushrooms and the ways you can grow them at home or in your yard.

Integrated Pest Management
Jay Levine, Hudson Valley Backyard Farm Company
This skill share will discuss Integrated Pest Management, a system aimed at anticipating and controlling pests or diseases that is especially useful when growing plants organically.

Local Food For The Small Business
by Mimi Fix, owner of Baking Fix
Do you have an idea for starting a food business using local ingredients? This workshop focuses on refining and developing ideas.

Artisan Sausage Making
Mark Elia, Elia’s Catering & Meats
Learn how to create your own blend of sausage from selecting meat to dreaming up new spice combinations.

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Looks to be a great workshop event for those interested in local food best practices. And for only $5.

Jimi Hendrix just finished the Aquarian Exposition with an unbelievable performance.

He played many of his well-known songs, as well as stuff like “Villanova Junction.” But best of all was his performance of “Purple Haze,” which started with an impromptu cover of the national anthem. He weaved his guitar feed in and out, echoing bombs and rockets. It was a twisted, maniacal version of the song, but studied and deep. Very cool. Very, very cool.

Watching him was a reduced crowd, as many people left overnight. Maybe about 70,000 remained to watch Hendrix jam onstage, just playing whatever. It was an odd, anti-climactic end to the festival, but certainly was an incredible show.

The rain was cleaned up a while back, and the skies cleared pretty well. It did, however, drive plenty of people away from the site. Now we’re looking at about 250,000 people again. Still a lot, of course.

Right now the Band is onstage. I love the Band, but they don’t sound great now. They feel rushed.

Coming up is Blood, Sweat & Tears and Crosby, Stills and Nash, a band just formed.

The rain started just after Joe Cocker’s set, and hasn’t stopped; in fact, it’s only grown in tenacity. Onstage the announcer was ordering people down from the sound towers, as the wind is blowing tremendously every which way.

Before that, however, Cocker impressed mightily. He performed the Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends” with so much soul, it probably single-handedly brought the rain. Amazing, staggering performance shimmying all over the stage.

Joe Cocker – a young English singer who recorded the Beatles’ “With A Little Help From My Friends,” will perform first today, sometime around 3 p.m.

Right now people are gathering their lunches and bathing in the pond. Max Yasgur has been awake all weekend, pacing around and moving his milk trucks toward the stage. And we’ve received word that the Army National Guard is dropping food from helicopters any time now. We are in a federal disaster area.

The Jefferson Airplane have wrapped up their set and the sun is now high in the sky.

It’s day three of the Aquarian Festival, and currently we’re only finished day two. If that makes sense.

A run of the biggest acts of the day went through the night. We had Creedence Clearwater, then Sly & the Family Stone, then Janis Joplin, the Who and the Airplane.

Best of the lot was Sly, manically moving around and screaming at the top of his lungs. The Who also were electric, playing their full newest record “Tommy.” Pete Townshend bonked a guy on his head – I’m pretty sure that guy was Abbie Hoffman, leader of the Yippies.

People are asleep now, while others are freaking out, bad acid trips all over the place. It’s cold now, so most are bundling up. Should be a good day of rock later, with acts like the Band, Paul Butterfield and Jimi Hendrix wrapping the show up. Crowd is about 300,000 deep now, as some people left overnight. Still an unbelievable mass of people today.

As we reach the third day of the Aquarian Exposition, we’re seeing no end in sight. Still a bunch of acts to go before this second day ends. The Grateful Dead started about an hour and a half late, and right now they haven’t sounded too great. A lot of pitch problems. They’re in and out. Plus it’s past midnight — I’m convinced this band works better in the late afternoon.

People are stoned out of their mind. A lot of kids are in the Freak Out tents, trying to rehab after some bad acid trips. There’s also a lot of sex. I’m hearing different things from my vantage point, which is with a few kids who I’ve started talking with. They’re from Utica. They don’t know how they’re getting home, since they hitchhiked here.

Finished up the story for tomorrow. Right now on stage is Canned Heat, a hard rock band with real bellow and hard guitar. Their lead singer is The Bear. Real big dude. A man ran onstage, but the Bear just hugged up and lit up his cigarette. Real peaceful.

Crowd really into it now. They’re rocking hard. Pond is no longer filled with nude people, which I was among. A girl even gave me a soap down on the back. Everyone is real cool and groovy out here, and thankfully, I’m clean.

Mountain is coming up next, then some real heavy hitters: Creedence Clearwater Revival, Sly and the Family Stone, Janis Joplin, the Who, Jefferson Airplane. Wow, man, biggest bands of the day.

Blog Authors

Timothy Malcolm

Timothy has been the arts and entertainment editor of the Times Herald-Record, based in Middletown, N.Y., since 2008. He covers a wide array of topics, focusing on performing arts, film and the visual arts. Read Full